NYC culture groups launch campaign to push $40M budget boost

"NYC is the largest local funder of the arts in America, and the current budget for the Department of Cultural Affairs is among the largest in the agency's history," said de Blasio spokeswoman Rosemary Boeglin. (Julie Larsen Maher/Wildlife Conservation Society)

The city's cultural groups are launching a campaign to push City Hall to up their budget by $40 million this year.

Museums, zoos, dance troupes and botanical gardens are looking for the boost to the Department of Cultural Affairs, whose budget was $166 million last year.

"We can actually have more culture on the ground in all five boroughs," said John Calvelli, executive vice president at the Wildlife Conservation Society and Bronx Zoo.

"We're doing more with less," he said, adding the zoo would like to be able to offer more free tickets to low-income residents. "We've been having less and less financial support."

“We can actually have more culture on the ground in all five boroughs,” said John Calvelli, executive vice president at the Wildlife Conservation Society and Bronx Zoo. (Michael Schwartz /for New York Daily News)

The groups' online campaign, dubbed "NYC Inspires," features stories of people who were so inspired by culture as children that they decided to pursue careers in the field.

The extra cash would be divided between the Cultural Institutions Group, which represents many of the city's marquee destinations, and the Cultural Development Fund, which gives money to smaller arts groups.

"This has to be the year for culture and the arts," said Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Queens), noting dozens of museums stepped up to offer free memberships to people signing up for the city's new municipal IDs. "The cultural community has been there for this mayor and this city."

Last year's budget saw a boost for libraries, which were able to increase their days and hours of operation. Many cultural institutions hope to do the same if they can secure more money.

"We expect to be open and accessible a few more hours, should the increase come through," said Carl Goodman, executive director of the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, adding his museum would also like to welcome more school groups. "We're at capacity. We're turning people away right now."

"NYC is the largest local funder of the arts in America, and the current budget for the Department of Cultural Affairs is among the largest in the agency's history," said de Blasio spokeswoman Rosemary Boeglin. "We look forward to working with City Council and other stakeholders throughout the budget process to continue providing robust support for our extraordinary cultural community."